After softball’s best season since 2019, the Titans closed out the 2025 year with a 37-9 record overall and went undefeated in conference, landing them the top spot in the annual coaches poll to win the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin for the upcoming season.
“It’s a great honor, but at the end of the day, you have to earn that,” Head Coach Tiffany Prager said.
The program itself has made 20 appearances in the NCAA Division III softball tournament, including that of last season, making it to the Super Regional round, where they were defeated by the Wildcats of Linfield University.
Along with winning the CCIW tournament, in which the Titans have appeared in 28 times, making it past the Super Regional for the 2026 season is an important goal on their radar.
With a few structural changes to practices, lots of team building and lifting, Coach Prager and her staff are building up the rigor in anticipation of the season’s competition.
“We’re trying to get smarter about how we’re training as well and implementing our strength and conditioning a little bit differently to not only help build strength but to help prevent injuries as well,” Prager said.
Leadership and unity in a team are key to building a championship mindset. The Titan softball program is unique, as there are no “official” captains. This forces every player to step up and grow in their individual leadership roles.
After last season, the Titans lost two valuable players and leaders on the field, graduates Jen Kuhn and Ava Khoury.
“Their legacy is continuing to serve this program. It’s really rewarding to see those juniors become seniors and take hold of the program, leading it in their own unique way, while also pulling upon the leadership that they’ve observed for the years that they’ve been here,” Prager said.
Even from a recruiting standpoint, the coaching staff has been mindful in their search to ensure they
are consistently bringing in athletes who are bought into the championship mindset of the program.
“It demands an excellence and a high standard to achieve that,” Prager said, “It’s not just going to happen.”
Team chemistry and building team camaraderie are something that have been very important to the program as well, especially to Coach Prager.
Practicing six days a week, the girls are constantly with each other and working to strengthen and build
those connections. “Team chemistry is constantly evolving, and it’s dynamic. It’s never static.
We’re constantly trying to find ways that we can elevate those relationships within our team, especially moving into season,” Prager said.
Looking further into the roster for the 2026 season, the Titans will return their entire pitching and catching staff, only having graduated 3 seniors after last season, with the addition of six newcomers.
Senior catcher Claire Post, senior third baseman Casey Wissmiller, senior outfielder Anna Beckman, and junior pitcher Mallory Holland are all players Titan fans should keep their eye on this season.
Post, from a catching, offensive, and leadership standpoint, was key for the Titans last year. “We call the catcher the quarterback of our team, and Claire was that person for us,” Prager said.
Wismiller, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Rawlings Gold Glove recipient in 2024, will appear again fighting for a four-year start as third baseman.
Beckman is a starting center fielder and 2025 First Team All-CCIW. And Holland, the CCIW pitcher of the year, will also be a key player to watch in the circle.
Illinois Wesleyan women’s softball is set to swing away for their season opener doubleheader at home on Saturday, Feb. 21, on Inspiration Field, where they will take on the Lady Blues of Illinois College at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
